Cupcakes

I am not a baker by nature. I really would like to be. I have dozens upon dozens of baking cookbooks, and pour over baking and candy making websites. Although I have a massive sweet tooth, I'm a much better chef than I am a baker. While I can easily spend an entire day making my family's beloved Bone Soup, I get overwhelmed by flour sifting, the right kind of vanilla and whether or not the dough will rise properly.

However, there are two conditions that encourage me to forget myself and my worries, and bake:

1. Having a proper reason to do so.
2. Having a friend over who loves to bake.

If either of those conditions are in place, then I am ready, willing and able. The month of September has given me plenty of reasons to bake. It's brought about the return of my dear friend Jessica back to Charlottesville, and she is a baking goddess. Second, I had two little guys that needed some cupcakes.

In this house? When we bake we go all out.

While the plan for the cupcakes was my idea (Pokeballs for some Pokemon obsessed kids), Jessica was the one who executed the idea. She made the frosting with the perfect consistency and shine, and mixed the colors so they were just perfect.


Even though I had no doubt that our plan would work out, the end result was even better than I could have hoped. Are these some fantastic Pokeball cupcakes
or what?


And since I am currently obsessed with The Bakerella's cake pops, the Pokeballs got their own little Pikachus to keep them company.

The end result? Happy little cupcake eaters.